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Complete Jewish Bible

Amos 9:3

If they hide themselves on the top of the Karmel, I will search them out and capture them there; If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will order the serpent to bite them there.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Carmel;   God Continued...;   Judgments;   Readings, Select;   Serpent;   Sin;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Knowledge;   Knowledge, Divine;   Knowledge-Ignorance;   Searcher of Hearts;   Secret Sins;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Destroy, Destruction;   Kill, Killing;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Candle;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amos;   Earthquake;   Remnant;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amos;   Carmel;   Floor;   Nations;   Serpent;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Carmel;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amos (1);   Bottom;   Head;   Night-Monster;   Omnipotence;   Serpent;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Amos;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jeremiah;   Palestine;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 25;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If they hideon the top of Carmel,from there I will track them downand seize them;if they conceal themselvesfrom my sight on the sea floor,from there I will commandthe sea serpent to bite them.
Hebrew Names Version
Though they hide themselves in the top of Karmel, I will search and take them out there; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.
King James Version (1611)
And though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence, and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the Sea, thence will I commaund the serpent, and he shall bite them.
King James Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
English Standard Version
If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search them out and take them; and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.
New American Standard Bible
"And though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will track them down and take them from there; And though they hide themselves from My sight on the bottom of the sea, I will command the serpent from there, and it will bite them.
New Century Version
If they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them and take them away. If they try to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command a snake to bite them.
Amplified Bible
"Though they hide on the summit of [Mount] Carmel, I will track them down and take them from there; And though they hide from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I shall command the serpent and it will bite them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And though they hide them selues in the toppe of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence: and though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea, thence will I commande the serpent, and he shall bite them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will search them out and take them from there; And though they conceal themselves from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I will command the serpent and it will bite them.
Legacy Standard Bible
And though they hide on the top of Carmel,From there I will search them out and take them;And though they conceal themselves from My eyes on the floor of the sea,From there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.
Berean Standard Bible
Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.
Contemporary English Version
If they escape to the peaks of Mount Carmel, I'll search and find them. And if they hide from me at the bottom of the ocean, I'll command a sea monster to bite them.
Darby Translation
and though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there will I command the serpent, and it shall bite them;
Easy-to-Read Version
If they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them there and take them from that place. If they try to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the snake, and it will bite them.
George Lamsa Translation
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent and it shall bite them;
Good News Translation
If they hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I will search for them and catch them. If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command the sea monster to bite them.
Lexham English Bible
And even if they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search and will take them, and even if they hide from before my eyes at the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the sea serpent and it will bite them.
Literal Translation
And if they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there. And if they hide from My eyes in the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the serpent, and he will bite them.
American Standard Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and it shall bite them.
Bible in Basic English
Though they take cover on the top of Carmel, I will go in search of them and get them out; though they keep themselves from my eyes in the bed of the sea, I will give orders to the great snake there and he will give them a bite:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from My sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And though they hyde them selues in the top of Charmel, I will searche, and take them out thence: and though they be hyd from my sight in the bottome of the sea, thence will I commaunde the serpent, and he shall bite them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, thence will I search them out and take them; and if they should go down from my presence into the depths of the sea, there will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.
English Revised Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.
World English Bible
Though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out there; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And if thei schulen be hid in the cop of Carmele, fro thennus Y sekynge schal do awei hem; and if thei schulen hide hem silf fro myn iyen in the depnesse of the see, there Y shal comaunde to a serpente, and it schal bite hem.
Update Bible Version
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there; and though they are hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they are hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
New English Translation
Even if they were to hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I would hunt them down and take them from there. Even if they tried to hide from me at the bottom of the sea, from there I would command the Sea Serpent to bite them.
New King James Version
And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, From there I will search and take them; Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, From there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them;
New Living Translation
Even if they hide at the very top of Mount Carmel, I will search them out and capture them. Even if they hide at the bottom of the ocean, I will send the sea serpent after them to bite them.
New Life Bible
Even if they hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them and take them from there. Even if they hide themselves from My eyes on the bottom of the sea, there I will tell the large sea-snake to bite them.
New Revised Standard
Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search out and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, from thence, will I search for them and take them, - and, though they conceal themselves from before mine eyes at the bottom of the sea, from thence, will I command the serpent and he shall bite them;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And though they be hid in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them away from thence: and though they hide themselves from my eyes in the depth of the sea, there will I command the serpent and he shall bite them.
Revised Standard Version
Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search out and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.
Young's Literal Translation
And if they be hid in the top of Carmel, From thence I search out, and have taken them, And if they be hid from Mine eyes in the bottom of the sea, From thence I command the serpent, And it hath bitten them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
though they hyde them selues vpo the toppe of Carmel, yet shal I seke them out, and brynge them from thence: Though they crepe downe fro my sight in to the depe of the see, I shal comaude the serpente, euen there to byte them.

Contextual Overview

1 I saw Adonai standing beside the altar, and he said, "Strike the tops of the columns until the thresholds shake! Smash them to pieces on the heads of all the people! Those who remain I will kill with the sword; not one of them will succeed in fleeing, not one of them will escape. 2 If they dig down to Sh'ol, my hand will haul them out; if they climb up to heaven, I will bring them down. 3 If they hide themselves on the top of the Karmel, I will search them out and capture them there; If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will order the serpent to bite them there. 4 If their enemies herd them into exile, I will order the sword to kill them there. I will fix my gaze on them for harm and not for good." 5 For Adonai Elohim -Tzva'ot is the one who can melt the earth with his touch, and make all who live on it mourn. It will all rise, just like the Nile, and then subside, like the Nile in Egypt. 6 He builds his upper rooms in heaven and establishes his sky-vault over the earth. He summons the waters of the sea and pours them out over the earth. Adonai is his name. 7 "People of Isra'el, are you any different from the Ethiopians to me?" asks Adonai . "True, I brought Isra'el up from Egypt, but I also brought the P'lishtim from Kaftor, and Aram from Kir. 8 Look, the eyes of Adonai Elohim are on the sinful kingdom. I will wipe it off the face of the earth, yet I will not completely destroy the house of Ya‘akov," says Adonai . 9 "For when I give the order, I will shake the house of Isra'el, there among all the Goyim, as one shakes with a sieve, letting no grain fall to the ground. 10 All the sinners among my people who say, ‘Disaster will never overtake us or confront us,' will die by the sword.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hide: Job 34:22, Jeremiah 23:23, Jeremiah 23:24

hid: Psalms 139:9-11, Jeremiah 16:16

the serpent: Isaiah 27:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:8 - hid Genesis 3:15 - enmity Exodus 7:10 - it became Numbers 21:6 - General Deuteronomy 32:24 - serpents 2 Samuel 17:14 - appointed 2 Samuel 22:46 - out 1 Kings 17:4 - I have commanded 1 Kings 18:19 - mount Carmel 1 Kings 20:30 - a wall Psalms 21:8 - General Proverbs 23:32 - biteth Ecclesiastes 10:8 - a serpent Jeremiah 8:17 - I will Jeremiah 49:10 - his secret Ezekiel 5:2 - I will draw Ezekiel 8:8 - General Amos 3:12 - so shall Nahum 3:11 - thou shalt be hid Luke 10:15 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1
God blessed Noach and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that lives will be food for you; just as I gave you green plants before, so now I give you everything —
Genesis 9:5
I will certainly demand an accounting for the blood of your lives: I will demand it from every animal and from every human being. I will demand from every human being an accounting for the life of his fellow human being.
Genesis 9:12
God added, "Here is the sign of the covenant I am making between myself and you and every living creature with you, for all generations to come:
Genesis 9:14
Whenever I bring clouds over the earth, and the rainbow is seen in the cloud;
Genesis 9:15
I will remember my covenant which is between myself and you and every living creature of any kind; and the water will never again become a flood to destroy all living beings.
Genesis 9:21
He drank so much of the wine that he got drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.
Genesis 9:22
Ham, the father of Kena‘an, saw his father shamefully exposed, went out and told his two brothers.
Genesis 9:25
He said, "Cursed be Kena‘an; he will be a servant of servants to his brothers."
Genesis 9:26
Then he said, "Blessed be Adonai , the God of Shem; Kena‘an will be their servant.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel,.... One of the highest mountains in the land of Israel; in the woods upon it, and caves in it:

I will search and take them out from thence: by directing their enemies where to find them: so the Targum,

"if they think to be hid in the tops of the towers of castles, thither will I command the searchers, and they shall search them:''

and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea; get into ships, going by sea to distant parts; or make their escape to isles upon the sea afar off, where they may think themselves safe:

thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them; the dragon that is in the sea, Isaiah 27:1; the great whale in the sea, or the leviathan, so Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; and is that kind of whale which is called the "Zygaena", as Bochart w thinks; and which he, from various writers, describes as very monstrous, horrible, and terrible, having five rows of teeth, and very numerous; and which not only devours other large fishes, but men swimming it meets with; and, having such teeth, with great propriety may be said to bite. It appears from hence that there are sea serpents, as well as land ones, to which the allusion is. Erich Pantoppidan, the present bishop of Bergen x, speaks of a "see ormen", or sea snake, in the northern seas, which he describes as very monstrous and very terrible to seafaring men, being of seven or eight folds, each fold a fathom distant; nay, of the length of a cable, a hundred fathom, or six hundred English feet; yea, of one as thick as a pipe of wine, with twenty five folds. Some such terrible creature is here respected, though figuratively understood, and designs some crafty, powerful, and cruel enemy. The Targum paraphrases it, though hid

"in the isles of the sea, thither will I command the people strong like serpents, and they shall kill them;''

see Psalms 139:9.

w Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 13. p. 747. x Natural History of Norway, par. 2. p. 198, 199, 207.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He had contrasted heaven and hell, as places impossible for man to reach; as I David says, “If I ascend into heaven, Thou art there: If l make my bed in hell, behold Thee” Psalms 139:8. Now, of places in a manner accessible, he contrasts Mount Carmel, which rises abruptly out of the sea, with depths of that ocean which it overhangs. Carmel was in two ways a hiding place.

1) Through its caves (some say 1,000 , some 2,000) with which it is perforated, whose entrance sometimes scarcely admits a single man; so close to each other, that a pursuer would not discern into which the fugitive had vanished; so serpentine within, that, “10 steps apart,” says a traveler , “we could hear each others’ voices, but could not see each other.” : “Carmel is perforated by a hundredfold greater or lesser clefts. Even in the garb of loveliness and richness, the majestic Mount, by its clefts, caves, and rocky battlements, excites in the wanderer who sees them for the first time, a feeling of mingled wonder and fear. A whole army of enemies, as of nature’s terrors, could hide themselves in these rock-clefts.”

2) Its summit, about 1800 feet above the sea , “is covered with pines and oaks, and lower down with olive and laurel trees” . These forests furnished hiding places to robberhordes at the time of our Lord. In those caves, Elijah probably at times was hidden from the persecution of Ahab and Jezebel. It seems to be spoken of as his abode 1 Kings 18:19, as also one resort of Elishas 2 Kings 2:25; 2 Kings 4:25. Carmel, as the western extremity of the land, projecting into the sea, was the last place which a fugitive would reach. If he found no safety there, there was none in his whole land. Nor was there by sea;

And though they be hid - (rather, “hide themselves”) from My sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent The sea too has its deadly serpents. Their classes are few; the individuals in those classes are much more numerous than those of the land-serpents . Their shoals have furnished to sailors tokens of approaching land . Their chief abode, as traced in modern times, is between the Tropics .

The ancients knew of them perhaps in the Persian gulf or perhaps the Red Sea . All are “highly venomous” and “very ferocious.” : “The virulence of their venom is equal to that of the “most” pernicious land-serpents.” All things, with their will or without it through animal instinct, as the serpent, or their savage passions, as the Assyrian, fulfill the will of God. As, at His command, the fish whom He had prepared, swallowed Jonah, for his preservation, so, at His “command, the serpent” should come forth from the recesses of the sea to the sinner’s greater suffering.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Amos 9:3. Though they hide themselves — All these are metaphorical expressions, to show the impossibility of escape.


 
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